Theatre Under the Stars (Vancouver) facts for kids
TUTS at the Vancouver Pride Festival, 2007
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| Formation | 1940 |
|---|---|
| Type | Theatre group |
| Purpose | Musical theatre |
| Location | |
Theatre Under The Stars, also known as TUTS, is a famous musical theatre company in Vancouver. It's a non-profit group, which means its main goal is to create art, not to make money.
Every summer, TUTS puts on two big, exciting musicals at the Malkin Bowl, an outdoor stage in beautiful Stanley Park. The company also helps run the Malkin Bowl and works with the Vancouver Park Board on fun events like sing-alongs in the park.
Contents
The Story of TUTS
How It All Began
The story starts in 1934. The Vancouver Park Board built an outdoor stage, or band shell, in Stanley Park. This was a gift from a former mayor, W.H. Malkin, in memory of his wife. The stage was named the Malkin Bowl.
In 1940, a group of creative people decided to start putting on plays there. They wanted to bring fun entertainment to Stanley Park. They called their group the Vancouver Civic Theatre Society, and their first show as Theatre Under the Stars opened on August 6, 1940.
Changes and Challenges
The company has gone through some changes over the years. After its 1963 season, the original group stopped. But in 1969, a new company called Theatre in the Park started putting on musicals again. In 1980, this new group changed its name back to Theatre Under the Stars.
TUTS has faced tough times. In 1982, a fire damaged the Malkin Bowl, but the company worked hard to rebuild it. The group also had money troubles twice and had to take a break to reorganize. Each time, they came back stronger to keep bringing musicals to the park.
Today, TUTS also works with big promoters like Live Nation Entertainment to host concerts and other events at the Malkin Bowl.
Famous Shows at TUTS
Over its long history, TUTS has performed hundreds of musicals. Many of these are famous shows that you might know! Here are just a few of the popular musicals that have been on the TUTS stage:
- 42nd Street
- Annie
- Beauty and the Beast
- Bye Bye Birdie
- Cinderella
- Grease
- Hairspray
- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
- Legally Blonde
- Mamma Mia
- Mary Poppins
- Matilda the Musical
- Newsies
- Oliver!
- School of Rock
- Shrek The Musical
- The Sound of Music
- West Side Story
- The Wizard of Oz
Famous People from TUTS
Many talented actors, singers, and artists have been part of TUTS over the years. Some of them went on to become very famous. A few notable people who performed at TUTS include:
- Eleanor Collins, a famous jazz singer often called "Canada's First Lady of Jazz."
- Don Francks, an actor and musician who appeared in movies and TV shows.
- Robert Goulet, a singer and actor who became a big star on Broadway.
- Juliette, a popular singer who had her own TV show on CBC.
See Also
- Malkin Bowl
